Axially symmetric gravitational fields. II: Stationary solutions of the vacuum Einstein equations (Q1886170)

This is a review article which try to systematize the known special solutions of stationary axially symmetric vacuum equations of Einsteins field equations. The solutions are ordered concerning the different methods of solving the field equations. Several methods of writing these equations are given as there are the Papapertou form, in prolate ellipsoidal coordinates, in a coordinate form and as the Ernst equation for which several theorems show how to construct other solutions from known solutions. Finally a method of writing the equations as a fourth-order partial differential equation is given. Hereupon, special solutions are reviewed as there are the Lewis class including the Weyl class and the van Stockum metric, the Papapetrou class including again the Weyl class, the Newman-Unti-Tamburino (NUT) class and a soliton type solution. Next the Tomimatsu-Sato class is reviewed including the Kerr-NUT metric and the Kerr metric. Finally a variable separation technique is reviewed generating different solutions. The large list of references permits an excellent overview of several aspects of the described solutions. For Part I, cf. Gravit. Cosmol. 8, No. 4(32), 249--260 (2002; Zbl 1025.83006).